Genius Idea: An app that lets users post items to sell or give away, browse items and arrange pickups, directly from their smartphones.

Primarily designed for local transactions, EggDrop's free app allows users to post and search for items within an 80 – 100 mile radius of their current location. In just one click, users can also share their posted items on Craigslist, Twitter or via e-mail.

It works a lot like mobile, local marketplace Zaarly, but its focus is on Craigslist-like listings, whereas Zaarly also facilitates micro-employment.

Posting an item for sale is fast and hassle-free – just press the “sell button” and use your smartphone to take a picture or choose a picture from your phone’s photo library. Then name the item, set the price and add a short description. Once you post your item to the EggDrop community, you are given the option to share the post with your social networks.

“It’s as easy as taking a picture with your smartphone of the item you want to sell and adding a price to it,” Dan Zheng, CEO of EggDrop, told Mashable in an interview.

If you’re looking to find or buy an item in your local area, EggDrop gives you two ways to do so – the “browse” button searches for items based on category, photo or location and the “search” button finds a specific item near your location. Users can also choose to sort items by distance, popularity and the time left in the sale. For privacy reasons, EggDrop only provides a rough, not exact, location of all users.

To find out more information about an item, users can “Ask a Question,” which will immediately notify the seller. All questions and answers are publicly visible to EggDrop users.

If you find an item you’d like to purchase, click “Make an Offer” and enter the amount you want to pay. The seller can either accept or decline the offer in real time. EggDrop does not allow users to make payment transactions via the app. If the seller accepts an offer, they can work out payment options with the buyer and arrange a time and place to meet for the exchange using EggDrop’s built-in private messaging feature.

So far, the most popular items for sale on EggDrop are cellphones, electronics, furniture, bicycles and video games.

EggDrop has a reputation system that lets buyers and sellers give feedback using “karma.” If sellers are trustworthy and helpful, users can give them positive feedback by clicking “Life Saver Karma” or “Good Neighbor.” The more positive karma sellers have, the higher their scores are.

“EggDrop is all about connecting local buyers and sellers in a local setting,” says Zheng. ”Reputation and identity are important and our reputation system is there to ensure that our users get a better, safer experience when using the app.”

EggDrop was launched in July 2011 and has raised $1 million in funding. Although the company does not have a business model yet, it is considering offering premium services to local businesses and shop owners that want to sell items.

The app is available for iPhone and Android devices and users can browse, but not sell, items on EggDrop’s website.

Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

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